About the Author

The Bill Chuck Files overflow each day with stats, factoids, and observations that are sometimes relevant, sometimes irrelevant, and sometimes simply intriguing. At the start of each Sox series, I will share some of these in my "Nine to Know,ï¿½ and I hope you will do the same.

Since I have your company this morning, and since the Red Sox are in Cincinnati for the next two games, this seems like a good time to remember the similar situation that Boston and Cincy shared this past offseason.

You might recall that each teamï¿½s centerfielder/leadoff batters were free agents after the 2013 season. Jacoby Ellsbury went to the Yankees and Shin-Soo Choo went to the Rangers, but thatï¿½s not nearly as important as how each team responded to the loss of these players.

ï¿½ This season, Jackie Bradley Jr. has started 95 games in centerfield for the Sox and Billy Hamilton has started 98 games for the Reds in centerfield.
ï¿½ This season, Brock Holt has led off in 71 games for the Sox and Billy Hamilton has led off in 99 games for the Reds.

Boston Red Sox 52-65 (25-34 on the road) @ Cincinnati Reds 60-58 (32-27 at home)
Each team made the postseason last year. This season, the Reds are 5.5 back in the NL Central and 2.5 back in the NL Wild Card race tied with the Braves. While the Sox need to win the rest of their games to equal last seasonï¿½s record.

Nine to Know: Sinceï¿½

1. Since June 1, Xander Bogaerts has hit .162, the lowest figure in baseball. He had been hitting .304 to that point.
2. Since May 18, David Ortiz has played 72 games and hit 15 homers, 14 doubles, 25 singles, driven home 59 runs, but hit .211.
3. Since June 18, Daniel Nava has played 37 games and hit .296, but (isnï¿½t there always a ï¿½butï¿½?) he has only hit four doubles and no homers.
4. Since the start of the season, like free-agent to be, Justin Masterson, Clay Buchholz has allowed at least four earned runs in 11 games, only Kyle Kendrick(12) has more games.
5. Since becoming a major leaguer in 2012, in 25 PA with the bases loaded, Yoenis Cespedes is hitting .450 with 28 RBI, but has no grand slam homers.
6. Since Jackie Bradley Jr. became a major leaguer last season, he has had two streaks of 50 games in which he has not homered. His first streak was 9/24/13 to 5/30/14 when he hit .205. He currently is on a 50-game homerless streak that started 6/1 and heï¿½s hitting .214. He has not had a hit since July 26.
7. Since July 1, Junichi Tazawa has appeared in 17 games, pitched 14.1 innings and he has five holds, two blown saves, a 1-2 record and a 6.28 ERA with a .349 BAA.
8. Since June 25, Koji Uehara has appeared in 19 games, pitched 20 innings, he has 10 saves, one blown save, a 2-1 record and a 1.35 ERA with a .197 BAA.
9. Since July 28, 2011, the Red Sox have played 500 games and have a 244-256 record (.488).